Harrison Jones trying to earn spot on depth chart at tight end

TUSCALOOSA | A typical Harrison Jones interview starts not with one question, but with two — the original and Jones’ response.“How is your brother doing?” is the first query.

By Cecil HurtSports Editor

TUSCALOOSA | A typical Harrison Jones interview starts not with one question, but with two — the original and Jones’ response.“How is your brother doing?” is the first query.“Which one?” Jones will respond.Jones, a redshirt junior H-back/tight end for the Crimson Tide, has a famous older brother in the NFL, former University of Alabama center Barrett Jones. He has a younger brother, Walker, trying to make his way as a freshman linebacker for UA.For Harrison Jones, though, the immediate matter at hand isn’t sibling relations. His current focus is on trying to make an impact at an unsettled tight end spot for Alabama this year as the Crimson Tide looks to replace Michael Williams, the bruising blocker Nick Saban calls “the unsung hero” of the 2012 BCS champion. “Our group is growing,” Jones said. “We have gotten some new guys with Brandon Greene and LaMichael (Fanning, now back at defensive end). In terms of how they are doing, I think everyone is doing great. It’s a process learning a new position. Everyone is progressing well. It’s been fun having some new guys.“It’s hard for any true freshman, (but) O.J. (Howard) is doing a great job. He’s progressing well throughout camp and he progressed a lot in the spring. He’s getting a lot better. I think he’ll be a really good player for us.”Jones is working as a sort of hybrid, sometimes assuming the Williams-like role of blocker and also playing a role similar to Brad Smelley’s 2011 function at times.“I’ve been doing both, H-back and tight end,” he said. “I can play both. In the two tight ends sets, I usually play H.”Jones is also fighting the aftereffects of a late-season back injury.“I had some disc issues in my back,” Jones said. “After the Notre Dame game I had surgery. I rehabbed through the spring. I played in the spring. It went well and still rehabbed through that. Now I feel great.“I try not to worry about it,” he said. “At the time when you are hurt and down a lot of times it seems like, ‘How could I ever play again?’ But you can’t think about that. You have to do the rehab and trust in the trainers and do what they tell you to do.”And as for those well-known brothers, Jones does keep up.“From what I know, (Barrett) is doing well. He likes (St. Louis Rams) Coach (Jeff) Fisher a lot. He likes his position coach a lot.”He has closer contact — and the occasional collision — with the younger brother. “We see each other every once in a while on the field,” Jones smiled.